Be Brave, Be Wise, Be Tricky
by Zanfan22
Summary: Coraline AU. Dick Grayson isn't thrilled about moving into his guardian, Bruce Wayne's, childhood home, Wayne Manor. The manor is dark, dreary, creepy, and the neighbors who rent rooms belong in an asylum. Both Bruce and Alfred are busy, leaving Dick feeling lonely and neglected. The strange dreams which open a new world and new family, are the only things Dick enjoys.
1. Chapter 1

The rain was just beginning to stop as a long black car pulled up at the tall gate. But grey clouds still hung in the sky, casting an overall dreary feel around. Dick Grayson looked up from his book. The gate was made of rusted twisted iron with crumbling stone pillars on either side. The left pillar has half a plate reading, 'YNE MA.' The driver of the vehicle roll down his window and types in a code on the ancient intercom. With a strenuous _creak_ , the gate swung open.

The once majestic driveway was filled with potholes, the grass surrounding the curve nothing but dirt, and all of the young trees stood withered and bare. The manor house itself stood like a cliff face, weathered and beaten down by the elements. A dark film shielded the windows, the roof was in poor condition, missing shingles. It badly needed a few coats of paint, or maybe just a wash.

Dick tried to conceal a grimace. He was grateful to even have a home, but the imposing, dark castle did not look the least bit welcoming. _It looks like a crypt._ He thought. _If anyone died in here they could hold a funeral, then just leave the body in a guest room._ The gruesome thought was quickly banished as the car stopped by the porch.

"Alright then Young Sir," Sniffed Alfred. He was the butler? Manservant? Best Friend? Parent? Dick wasn't exactly sure what his role to his guardian, Bruce Wayne, was. "Here we are. I daresay the place is a bit of an eyesore. I haven't been here in many years, not since Master Bruce was eight years old." He got out of the car and opened Dick's door. Dick stuffed his book into his knapsack, undid his seatbelt, and got out.

The boy shivered as a chill traveled down his spine. He couldn't say if it was the wind or the house. He turned as he heard the trunk open. Alfred grabbed the two suitcases and set them down on the cobblestone.

"I can get mine Alfred." Dick offered.

"No, no. I can get them, it's what Master Bruce pays me to do." Alfred picked up the two suitcases with ease. He gestured with his balding head to the smaller, more ragged of the two. "Besides, yours is exceptionally light. Did you only pack feathers?"

Dick smiled and shook his head. "I just don't have much. I mean, we didn't have loads of space in our trailer, so we couldn't keep much besides clothes and a few personal belongings."

"Then I shall manage just fine. Now I'll take these to our section of the manor and you may go explore. The current renters are… interesting, but perfectly safe. Just remember to be polite and don't bother them unnecessarily. I will be in our section," He grimaced at the grimy exterior, "dusting." He then walked up the porch, unlocked the door, and creaked it open.

Dick decided he wasn't ready to enter the haunted mansion just yet, so he decided to explore the grounds. He pulled on his yellow raincoat and trudged off. Most of the ground was soft and marshy, so he sunk slightly with each step. The boy was careful not to flick mud everywhere as he walked, he had a feeling Alfred wouldn't approve. He ventured past the immediate gardens and down a crumbling set of concrete steps.

He slid down a muddy incline along thorny brush. A long stick lay in the mud. He reached out and picked it up; tapping it along the path as he went along. Dick stopped when a small pebble rolled from the slop beside him.

A bush behind him rustled. He whipped around and waited. Nothing happened. Further over, another rustle sounded. Dick slowly crouched and picked up a rock, as another bush moved he threw the rock. A pained yowl came from the bush, causing Dick to break into a run. He pushed through dry vines and brambles, making his way further down the hill.

The wind began to pick up, causing his eyes to water. He nearly lost his footing in the slippery mud. Finally, he stopped at a stump, breathing hard. Blue eyes search the surrounding area.

 _MEERRROOOW!_ Something landed on his head. He began flailing. A black cat landed in front of him with an angry hiss, green eyes flashing.

"You scared me you furball!" He said. The cat merely licked a paw in response. "Huh, well if you'll excuse me." Dick began to walk away, tapping his stick on the ground once more. _Tap, Tap, Tap, Thunk._ He paused, the ground sounded hollow.

Just then more pebbles rolled down the cliff side, Dick looked up just as a bolt of lightning flashed. A figure stood above him with a long coat blowing in the wind and glowing eyes. Dick was too scared to scream as the figure sped down the cliff side towards him.

He snapped out of it and swung his stick; but the figure grabbed it and used it to pull Dick to the ground. The figure jumped onto the stump. He pulled off a pair of goggles and a hood, allowing flaming red hair to spike up. It was just a kid, he was probably barely older than Dick. He looked a lot less psychopathic with freckles and red hair.

He began swinging the stick. "I haven't seen you around before. You must be the Wayne ward. Is it true you're from the circus? I bet you were like an acrobat or something, you kept your balance creeping this mud. Can you do a backflip? Or swing from a trapeze?"

Dick pushed him off the stump. "Hey!"

"Do you always run around and scare people?!" Dick swiped back his stick.

"Dude," The red haired kid stood up, wiping the mud off himself. "What's your problem?"

"I don't like being stalked by psycho-runners, or their cats!"

The kid knelt down by the cat, who had been silently watching the encounter, and scratched its ears, causing it to purr. "It's not my cat, it's feral, I think. But when he stops by my house I'll feed him and in return he comes up to my window and brings me little dead things.."

"Why were you following me?" Dick demanded, driving his stick into the mud.

"I was just curious."

"Yes I used to be in the circus, yes I can do a backflip and swing from a trapeze."

"I'd be careful if I were you. You're standing on an old well, if you step too hard, you'll fall in!"

Dick jumped to the side, noticing the rusted panel partially obscured by mud. The red head snatched the smaller boy's stick and used it to maneuver the panel off the well's opening. Both boys leaned over and stared down the dark hole. Dick picked up his stick and tapped a side, causing echoes to travel down.

"See? It's so deep they say if you look up you could see stars in the middle of the day!"

Dick relaxed. "Huh." The cat wandered closer and rubbed at his legs.

The older boy glanced towards the manor. "I'm surprised Ol' Wayne moved back in. My uncle manages the place for him. Wayne didn't mention he was coming back."

"What do you mean?"

The other boy's eyes darted to the side. "Um, not supposed to talk about it!" He pulled off a red glove. "I'm Wally, Wally West."

Dick grinned. "Wally?"

"Short for _Wallace_ , not my idea of course. What did you get saddled with?"

"I didn't get _saddled_ with anything! It's Dick."

"What? Dick?"

"Dick Grayson. Or Richard if I'm in trouble."

"Man, can't believe you balked at my name with a name like Dick! Ha! A name like that could lead someone to have expectations…"

A glare formed on Dick's face. His mood matched the darkening clouds above. Suddenly a voice carried over the wind. "WALLACE!"

"I think someone's calling you, Wally!"

Wally looked confused, "Huh? I didn't hear anything."

"No, someone was definitely calling you!"

A dinner bell clanged. "WALLACE!"

Wally's face paled. "Oh… Uncle Barry." He pulled on his glove and adjusted his goggles. "Well it was great meeting you, Dick the Acrobat." He began to walk away, but turned and held up his hands. "But next time, I'd wear gloves!"

Dick's forehead wrinkled. "Why?"

Wally gestured to his stick. "Your stick there, it's poison oak." He then broke into a fast run, quickly vanishing out of sight.

"Uuuh!" Dick tossed the stick back into the mud. He began to wipe his hands on his pants. The cat seemed to give him a pitying glance. He stuck his tongue out at it. The feline sniffed and pranced through the mud after the runner. The rain was beginning to pick up, Dick then started his trek back to the dark manor.

* * *

The next morning the rain was still falling. Dick was watching from the kitchen window, he absently mindedly scratched at his hands, which were now red and irritated.

Alfred was busy wiping down the counters and cabinets with disinfecting wipes. Dick didn't think he'd stopped scrubbing since they got here. The elderly man was still immaculately dressed in black dress pants, white shirt rolled up to his elbows, and bow tie, despite all the cleaning.

"I almost fell down a well yesterday Alfred."

"Uh huh."

"I could have died!"

"That's nice young sir."

Dick continued scratching at his hands. "Could I go outside? It's great weather for exploring!"

"I'm afraid not young master. Rain makes mud, and mud makes a mess." Alfred said, he was now mopping.

"But I want to get out and move around! Isn't that why we moved here?"

"That and Master Bruce was ready to return. He is now also closer to his central business in Gotham." Alfred replied.

"I don't know why he'd come back here. It's creepy."

"It was his childhood home." Alfred said. He paused to readjust his sleeve. "Now I do believe you have some unpacking to finish. Quite a bit of it."

"That sounds exciting." Dick murmured sarcastically. He turned from the window and began to leave to the room.

"Master Dick, a boy left this on the porch for you." Dick paused. Alfred walked to a counter and picked up something wrapped in newspaper. Dick came over and took it, it had a note attached to the front.

' _Hey Dickie, look what I found in my uncle's trunk, look familiar? –Wally'_

Dick unwrapped a doll with black yarn hair and bright blue button eyes, the exact same shade of his own. The doll was also in a gymnast's uniform, similar to his family's design.

 _It looks a lot like me… That's creepy… and weird._ He thought.

"What is his name Master Dick?" Alfred asked. He was scrubbing the windows now.

"Wally. And I'm a boy! What would I do with a doll?!" Dick left the kitchen, carrying his mini-me. As he walked across the creaking floors he heard a voice coming from behind one of the heavy doors. _Bruce got in late and he's already up and working?_ He wasn't even aware his guardian was awake. He hadn't come in the kitchen or living room at all that morning, not even for a quick 'hello'. The door creaked as Dick pushed it open.

The study was filled with boxes, a desk, swivel chair, and laptop were the only pieces of furniture.

"Hiya Bruce!" The dark haired man didn't look up from his laptop. His back was to the boy as he tapped away. "Did you have a good trip?" Still no acknowledgement. He gave a cough.

Bruce glanced up and saw the boy's reflection in the computer screen. "Oh, hello Richard." He spun his chair around. His gaze shifted to the doll. "And miniature Richard? You never told me you had a sibling."

"Could I go outside and explore?"

Bruce looked out the window on the far wall, the only light source currently in the room. "It looks like it's raining pretty hard…"

"It's just rain!" Dick protested.

Bruce swung around to face him again. "What did the boss say?"

Dick stood straight as he could and said in a mocking British accent, "Don't even think about it Richard Grayson!"

That got a slight chuckle from the older man. He returned to his computer screen. "Then no, you may not."

Dick groaned. Now what? He started to swing from the study door, trying to get it to creak louder. This persisted for about fourteen seconds before Bruce whipped around again. "You know this house is over one hundred and fifty years old."

"So?"

"Explore it! When I was a kid my best adventures occurred in here! There's plenty to do…" He grabbed a notepad and pen from the box on his desk. "Go and count the doors and windows. Or list all the red things you can find!" He tossed the items to the boy. "But I need to work." Once again he turned to his computer.

Dick slumped slightly, but left the study, closing the door behind him.


	2. Exploration

Dick began his exploration of the haunted mansion with the front hall. He nearly tripped over a roll in the Persian, possibly French he didn't know, rug. He jumped on it, attempting to flatten it, but only succeeded in pushing it in the opposite direction. Pouncing on the bump entertained him for a short time before he moved on.

The 'parlor' (as Alfred called it) had seven tall, grimy windows. Dick used his sleeve to wipe off some of the grime, then he and mini-me peered out at the dead gardens. Browning hedges lined the outer edges while bushes, that may have been rosebushes at some point, were planted against the house.

The boy cartwheeled back into the hall and over the roll in the carpet, before running up the creaky stairs. In his designated room, there were two windows which didn't help the dreary darkness that was rotted into every corner. As he didn't have much to begin with, there were little to no decorations, save for a picture of his parents and him after a show. They were in their costumes that his mother had made in signature Grayson colors: red, green, and yellow. A stuffed elephant sat on the bed. Dick continued on to one of the bathrooms.

He pulled the crumbling shower curtain aside to find the shower wall covered in crawling cockroaches! "EW!" He squeaked. (He'd protest this later.) He entered the shower, trying to smash the bugs. To wash the bug guts off his hands he turned the faucet; only to have rust-filled water pour down from the shower head. He jumped out of the shower and dried his hand and hair off with a dusty pink towel.

The simplest and quickest way back downstairs was to slide down the bannister Dick deduced. So that he did. After he landed on the floor with a _thud_ , a closet door opened on the side of the staircase. Dick creeped in and pulled on a string to switch on an overhead lightbulb. The closet held a rusty water heater, which he marked on the notepad, and a fuse box of sorts. It opened with a good tug and dozens of switches were revealed to temptation. Despite the DO NOT TOUCH sign, the temptation was too much; Dick flipped a red switch. The lights flickered and he could hear Bruce yelling. This prompted him to flip the switch back and quickly exit the closet.

Finally, he came to the main living room. The deep red wallpaper was peeling off the walls in strips, the glue dissolved due to age. Tall bookcases lined the walls. Dust covered sheets covered various sofas, sitting chairs, and tables. He laid the doll on a table and began looking around. A stone fireplace was positioned on the far wall. A portrait with a man and woman reigned over the room. Dick walked closer. The woman wore a simple but formal red gown with a white stole, her dark short hair was in perfect curls. The man with his arm around her also had dark hair and a mustache. He wore a grey suit with a red tie. Their faces held matching solemn expressions.

Dick scowled at the couple. "And two blue bloods dressed in red." He said as he wrote on the notepad. He looked around, "Eight tall, infectious windows. And no more doors." He walked back to the table to grab the doll, but it wasn't there. "Hey, where'd you go?" He crawled on his hands and knees, looking under the tables and sofas. After a few minutes of searching, Dick stood and scratched his head. There was only one place he hadn't looked, the covered thing between the bookcases.

He walked over and pulled off the sheet, releasing a heavy cloud of dust, and revealing a large oaken grandfather clock. The doll was visible through the glass door of the body of the clock. He was perched on the pendulum, his button eyes staring ahead above the vacant yarn smile. "There you are! How did you get in here?" Dick exclaimed. The case door swung open easily, but the doll was slightly tangled in the hanging weights. Dick pulled the doll free, moving the clock forward in the process. There was now a slight gap between the clock and the wall, but it seemed to be bolted to it. Dick could feel cool air seeping through the crack. _It could be a secret passage!_ He thought, he quickly ran back into Bruce's makeshift study.

"Bruce!" He exclaimed as he swung the door open. Bruce turned his chair around. "Follow me! I found a secret door!"

"Dick, I'm busy right now,"

"Please?" Dick begged. Bruce sighed and stood. The boy left the study and headed back to the big room, glancing behind to make sure his guardian was following. When they reached the room, the boy ran to the clock. "See? There's a crack and I can feel air coming from behind it! So, it might lead outside or behind the walls!"

"The house does have a few 'secret' rooms. But I don't really have the time to try and open the clock for you." Bruce faltered at Dick's begging blue puppy eyes. "Okay, fine. Just give me a moment." The man opened the glass protecting the clock face and stared for a moment. He walked to the stone fireplace and grabbed an ornate knob off it. He placed the knob over the axel of the hands of the clock and began to twist. _Click_ went the hands when they reached 10:48. The case now swung open easily. Dick's face fell in disappointment. There was a steel plate. No staircase or tunnel, just another wall.

"Ah," Bruce didn't seem surprised. "When I was born my father had most of the rooms sealed to prevent me from hurting myself or getting myself lost." He placed the knob back on the mantle. "Sorry Dick, but I need to get back to work."

Dick pushed the clock back until it clicked. _Another disappointment._ The doll under his arm just stared vacantly. _Well, that unpacking isn't going to do itself._ With that the boy left the room.

* * *

At dinner, it was only Dick at the kitchen table. Alfred had deemed the official (and huge) dining room 'a breeding ground for infectious organisms.' So, they were eating in the kitchen. Alfred pulled a pan out of the oven and turned it off.

"Thank you for being patient Master Dick." The oven mitts plopped onto the counter. "The casserole is now ready!" A plate full of a steaming substance was set in front of Dick.

 _It looks like barf…_ Dick thought silently. The substance was a mixture of greens, yellows, and browns. Alfred stood looking at him expectantly.

"Thanks Alfred." Dick picked up his fork, he then glanced over at the empty plate and chair. "Is Bruce going to come eat with us?"

Alfred sat down with his own plate of mush. "Probably not, Master Dick." He placed his napkin in his lap. "This transition to his old home is rather difficult for him. And when Master Bruce is faced with unpleasant or rather any type of emotions, he buries himself in his work." There was silence for a few seconds. Alfred sighed. "I suppose we all have our own ways of coping. Master Bruce locks himself away and works." The butler looked around the kitchen. A slight smile formed on his face. "I clean. I'll keep scrubbing, dusting, organizing until the residence is fit to host her majesty's presence."

Dick set down his fork. "Is my being here… disrupting the coping process?"

Alfred looked surprised. "Of course not young master! In fact, I believe you being here may speed things along." He paused to chew. "Just give him some time. He'll come around. But now you need to eat! This casserole has plenty of good vegetables in it. Eat up."

The mush was actually pretty good. Dick finished his serving and even had seconds. He offered to help with the dishes, but the butler shooed him off to shower and go to bed.

* * *

Dick flopped onto the large bed, showered and with brushed teeth. Thankfully Alfred had washed all the bedding in the rooms they were occupying, so no dust! His stuffed elephant and mini-me rested on one of the hundreds of pillows. How one person could sleep in a gigantic bed with so many pillows was beyond him. Here he was, trying to accomplish just that. The room itself was huge too. The ceilings were high and the large bed didn't take up that much space. _It's like a cave. The ceilings are high enough that there could be bats up there…_ Upon closer inspection: no bats. The bedside lamp was from his trailer at the circus. One of the set designers had painted elephants and tigers on the shade so when it was turned on, it cast shadows on the wall. Dick clicked it on and it illuminated his parents' picture.

Tears began to form, but he fought them back. _I'm fine. Things couldn't have worked out better. I have a home, food, and people to care for me._ Somehow these thoughts didn't help. He hugged the picture close for a moment before setting it back on the nightstand. The covers were pulled back and then tucked under his chin. The temperature of the room wasn't cold, but the atmosphere was. It was probably the cave structure emitting this feeling.

Dick flipped onto his side and nestled deep into the blankets. As he drifted off, the doll watched intently with its vacant button eyes.

* * *

The elephant and tiger shadows on the wall began to swirl and dance. Moonlight gave the dark room a warmer blue tint.

 _Chitter._ Dick sleepily sat up. _I thought I heard something._ He thought. It was almost chalked up to be a dream before another, louder, chitter occurred. Dick scanned the room and saw his door was cracked open. At the base of the door sat a white rat standing on its hind legs. It chittered, rubbed its face, and hopped out into the hall.

Dick swung off his bed, determined to follow the creature. He creeped after down the dark hallway, down the stairs, and into the big library room. Dick watched as the rat disappeared behind the clock. He ran over and pulled the clock open; there was no steel plate!

Instead there was a swirling tunnel of red and gold lights. The rat was hopping to a bright blue light at the end.

"What the?" Dick dropped to his hands and knees and began to crawl through. He kept moving forward until the blue light enveloped him. But to his surprise he was back in the library room. Except, it felt off. The wallpaper wasn't peeling off the walls, it was vibrant and rich in color. All the furniture was uncovered, the tables looked freshly waxed.

A warm fire was lit in the stone fireplace. The portrait's colors were much brighter. Dick squinted at the couple, they had buttons for eyes.

A pleasant smell drifted into the room. Dick inhaled, then set out to follow it. The kitchen was also different. The lights cast a warm glow throughout the room. All the tiles were in place and gleamed. Alfred was humming as he stirred a bright green pot on the stove.

"Alfred! What are you cooking? It's like midnight." Dick asked, puzzled.

The elderly man turned around, and his face caused Dick to gasp. He had buttons for eyes! And a giant smile. "Good evening young master! You're just in time, dinner is almost ready!"

Dick, a little creeped out, stared for a moment. "You're not Alfred. Alfred doesn't have bu-bu-"

Alfred's gloved hands tapped his eyes- buttons. "Bu-bu-buttons? Do you like them?" When Dick didn't answer Alfred returned to stirring the green pot. "I'm your Other-Butler. Now, if you could please go and let Master Bruce know that dinner is ready."

Not thinking of anything better to say, Dick replied, "Uh, are you sure he will? I thought we were supposed to leave Bruce alone so he could work."

"Nonsense! This is Other-Bruce. He's in his study."

A familiar spicy smell drifted out of the pot. Dick's stomach grumbled. "Okay, be right back." He walked down the bright hallway to the study. He knocked tentatively.

"Come on in!" A cheerful voice sounded. Dick pushed open the door. The study was illuminated with warm lights and instead of a desk there was a small piano. The walls and floor were in pristine condition, the figure seated at the piano spun around. Dick almost didn't recognize Bruce with the big smile that covered his face. "Hiya Chum! What are you up to?" If he had eyes, Dick was sure they'd be twinkling.

"Um, Alfred said to come and get you for dinner?"

"Ha! That sounds wonderful! But first," He twirled back to the piano. "Want to hear my new song?" He played a quick scale up and down the piano, the keys made bouncy, crisp notes.

"I don't think Bruce sings." Dick said. "Or plays the piano."

"Oh, but you forget," he popped his fingers, "I'm Other-Bruce!" With that his fingers began to fly over the keys.

" **For as we know, criminals are a superstitious cowardly lot!**

 **They plan and plot, but they always get caught!**

 **Their evil schemes all come to naught!**

 **A superstitious cowardly loooooot!"**

Bruce finished the long note with some finger-work on the piano. "That's all I got so far, I'm writing a musical about a Caped Crusader who fights crime in a batsuit!"

"Huh." Dick honestly had no idea on how to respond. "Well, it's entertaining. No offense, but I can't imagine you prowling around the city in tights and bat ears."

Other-Bruce's buttons seemed to twinkle. "Neither can Alfred. Speaking of Alfred, we'd better get to dinner!"

The pair made their way into the dining room. A giant golden chandelier hung from the ceiling above a long oaken table. A red table runner ran down the center, holding various vases of fresh roses and plates of warm, steaming food. The curtains were tied back to show gleaming windows, which hosted a view of the yard. The bushes were pruned into various animals and the grass looked green and soft.

Dick sat down at the head of the table with Bruce to his right. Alfred came in and sat on his left. The older man clasped his hands together, Bruce and Dick did the same.

Bruce prayed, "We give our thanks and ask to bless, Alfred's masterpiece!"

With that, Alfred began spooning food into bowls from a large green pot in the middle of the table. Dick slurped a spoonful and was surprised, it tasted like his mother's chicken stew!

"Is, is this chicken stew?"

"Why yes young master." Other-Alfred replied. "I heard it was one of your favorites!"

"Are there possibly any rye rolls to go with it?" Dick asked hopefully. His mother always made a fresh batch of rolls every time she made stew. "Please?" He added.

"But of course!" Alfred smiled. "Here they come on the train now."

A _chug chug, choo choo_ was heard as a toy train weaved the various vases and plates on its track. It curled around the centerpiece and down to Dick's place. A warm brown roll plopped onto his plate from a boxcar, then the train chugged on its way. Dick hummed as he took a bite, _perfect._

"Is there anything else?" Bruce inquired from his side. "Maybe some corn? Or maybe some peas?"

"Actually, I'm a little thirsty." Dick said after he swallow the last of his roll.

"Coming right up!" The chandelier descended from above. "Any requests?"

"How about a strawberry soda?" The various dispensers spun until a bright pink one was in front of the boy. A small spout opened and poured the fizzy drink into his cup. After it ascended back to the ceiling, a small cake with icing reading 'Welcome Home' sat on the table.

"Home?" Dick questioned. The Other Bruce and Alfred smiled warmly at him.

"We've been waiting for you Master Dick." Alfred said.

"For me?"

"Yep, wasn't the same without you chum." Bruce squeezed his shoulder.

"I wasn't aware I had… Others?" Dick said slowly.

"Everyone does!" Other Bruce exclaimed. "Whether they're parents, guardians, caregivers, everyone has them!" His button eyes twinkled.

"Really?" Dick sounded skeptical.

"Of course! And when you're done eating, we can play a game!" Bruce said warmly. His fingers thumped on the table.

"Huh? You mean like hide and seek?" Dick was confused.

"Perfect!" Other Bruce exclaimed. "Hide and seek in the rain!"

"What rain?" Dick asked, just then lightning flashed, thunder sounded, and a heavy rain began falling outside. "But what about the mud?"

"We love mud here!" Other Alfred chimed in.

Other Bruce rose and walked towards Dick. "Mud pies, mud baths, mud fights, it's perfect for poison oak." He pulled up one of Dick's hands.

Dick jerked his rash covered hand away. "How did you know I-" His eyes narrowed. "I'd love to play, but I'd better get back to other Bruce."

"But I'm other Bruce." Other Bruce smiled.

"I meant, my other, other Bruce." He yawned and stretched. "I should get to bed."

"Of course, young master." Other Alfred stood. "It's all made up."

"Wha- But," Dick began, but Other Bruce stepped beside him and laid a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Come along chum." The trio left the dining room and headed to Dick's bedroom.

Dick pushed the door open and his mouth dropped at the sight. First, the room didn't seem as cave-like. It too had a warm glow to it, the animal shadows, cast from the lamp, chased each other around on the upper walls and ceiling. The bed cover was now a colorful, heavy quilt, his stuffed elephant was jumping on the bed. Pictures of the circus lined the walls. As the boy neared the pictures the clowns juggled, the ballerinas spun on the tightrope, and the elephants marched. He jumped onto the bed, enjoying the bounce. His blue eyes glanced over to the picture of his parents. They too had button eyes and big smiles formed when they saw Dick.

"Hello sweetie!" His mother chirped.

"Mom, dad? How are you guys? Are you here too?"

His father smiled and wrapped an arm around his mother. "We're well son! And we're here! We'll hopefully see you real soon!"

Dick hugged the picture to his chest for a moment before placing it back on the side table. Alfred came forward and pulled the covers up. He gently clasped Dick's hand and rubbed some mud on the angry red rashes.

"Oh yeah, the mud." Dick said. He laid down and Bruce came forward to pull the quilt higher.

"See you soon chum. See you soon…"

Dick's eyes felt heavy, the room, its colors, and Other Bruce and Alfred began to blur. And within moments, he was asleep.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I'm Back! For the moment. My sister's laptop is working, so she's being generous and letting me borrow it. My own laptop has a polluted hard drive or something, but the IT guy was very helpful and optimistic. I should be getting it back in healthy condition soon. Thank you for being patient!**


	3. Meeting the Neighbors

Dick's eyes slowly opened, then quickly closed again when bright light met them. Again, they slipped open and he sat up, but he was disappointed as he looked around. The bright, colorful pictures and colors were gone, instead the dark, cave-like room had returned with its cracks and peeling walls.

The button-eyed doll was slumped against the lamp on the nightstand, all knowing eyes staring straight ahead. As Dick reached for it, he noticed the rash on his hand was gone. His other hand wasn't red anymore either. _My poison oak is gone…_ He thought, mystified.

He flung the covers off and ran out into the hall, where he dashed down the stairs and into the room with the clock. It was slightly loose so he was able to slide a few fingers behind it. Disappointment occurred when he could feel the cold steel. "Huh?"

The boy rose back to his feet. _Maybe it was just a dream._ Just then, the tea kettle whistled from the kitchen. It was time for breakfast.

* * *

Bruce was already sitting at the small kitchen table when Dick walked in. He was drinking coffee and looking through a thick yellow folder. Alfred, dressed in his bowtie and apron, stood at the stove frying eggs. Dick pulled out the chair nearest to Bruce and sat down. The usual silence hung in the room except for the hissing of the eggs and the _pop_ of the toaster.

"I had a really crazy dream last night." Dick piped up. Bruce gave a distracted 'uh huh'.

Alfred began to scrape eggs onto plates. "Really Master Dick? Whatever was it about?"

Dick excitedly began to talk about crawling behind the clock, the buttons for eyes, and the lavish house and meal.

Alfred placed a glass of green gunk and a plate in front of him. "That sounds interesting Master Dick, but as the feast was merely a dream I must require you finish your breakfast and drink your greens."

Dick made a face before focusing on Bruce. "You were in the dream too Bruce! You played piano, sang a song, and you were writing a musical about a caped crusader who dresses as a bat and fights crime!"

That got Bruce's attention, he looked up from his file. "That's a thought. Could you imagine me jumping around rooftops in tights?" Both he and Alfred chuckled. Bruce swallowed the last of his coffee and stood. "Well, Wayne Enterprises needs me there to finalize some reports before a meeting, so I need to be off!" He picked up the file, put his mug in the sink, and ruffled Dick's bed head. "Thanks for breakfast Alfred. See you later Dick."

"Bye." Dick muttered. He picked up his plate and glass full of green gunk. Artfully, he dumped the sludge down the drain without Alfred noticing. He began to rinse the evidence and food off his plate down the drain. Outside the clouds were still dark and there was a light drizzle. _What am I supposed to do all day?_

"Master Dick," Alfred began, "Why don't you go and visit the lower level to meet the ladies who live there? They're both rather animated, I'm sure they'd be very interested in your dream."

"Bruce says they're dingbats!"

"They are, odd perhaps. But it's not polite to refer to them as 'dingbats'." Alfred sipped his tea. "Now scurry along, remember your manners. And take a jacket, it's raining."

Dick's plate and glass clinked as he set them in the sink, he slinked out of the kitchen.

* * *

The outside air was humid, the clouds seemed to block any potential fresh air attempting to cycle through. Dark mud surrounded the porch, it was quite tempting. Dick zipped up his raincoat, just as he stepped out onto the porch, he nearly squashed a stack of envelopes. He reached down, picked them up, and began looking through them. _Rathaway, Rathaway, Rathawy. Don't know what I was expecting anyway…_ There was a sign on one of the porch posts reading, **'Rathaway around and up'**. Dick walked around and saw steps on the side of the house leading to the third floor. _They sure sectioned off this house weird._

 _Creak, creak, squeak!_ Went the steps. Most of them were beginning to rot and were covered in fuzzy green mold. The stairs ended at a small balcony. Dick knocked on the door and waited. A foul smell coming from the mail pile made his nose wrinkle. He knocked again, but there wasn't a sound. "Hello?" Dick called. "I have your mail. It was left on our porch." Silence. "Should I just leave it out here? Or-" The door creaked open slightly.

Dick peered inside, it was rather dark and full of boxes. Faint flute music drifted from further inside. "Hello?" A shadow cast in front of him caused him to whip around, there was a man leaning over him,

"Seeecret!" He hissed. And a bony hand grabbed the doorknob and yanked the door closed. He stepped back and crossed his arms. The man wore a long green coat with a hood, his dirty blonde hair was pulled into a messy ponytail. A shiny silver flute hung off his belt on his side. His jaw was tight and his eyes narrowed, in short, he looked unhappy. "My rat orchestra is not yet ready to perform!"

"Rat orchestra?" Dick cleared his throat. "Oh, I brought this up for you." He held out the suspicious smelling pile of mail. Mr. Rathaway grabbed the stack and smelled one of the envelopes.

"Ah, delicious."

"Uh?"

"New cheese samples. For the rats." Just then, a rat climbed out of the man's hood and onto his head. It squeaked menacingly at the boy. Mr. Rathaway's glare returned and he stepped closer to Dick. "Very clever of you to use this 'mix-up' to sneak a peek at my ratti!"

"Ratti?"

"The rats!"

"Oh, um, sorry." Dick extended his hand. "I'm Dick Grayson." Mr. Rathaway grabbed and shook his hand before bowing.

"And I am the Amazing Hartley Rathaway! But please, call me Hartley, as I already know I am amazing!" He pulled the flute from his belt and played a light, bouncy tune. With a final _toot_ he hooked it back in its place. "You see Dickie, when my sheet music reads: Toot-a-toot. But my rats only play: oompah, oompah. It is nice, but not amazing!" He lifted his cheese. "But now I am switching to stronger cheese and we shall see!" The rat on his head squeaked. "Now if you'll excuse me!" He marched to his door, he paused and tossed Dick a piece of cheese. "Here, have some cheese. Goodbye Dickie!" With that, he disappeared into his home.

Dick was left standing on the creaking balcony. "It's _Dick_." He looked at the smelly piece of cheese in disgust before leaving it on the edge of the balcony for some lucky rat. The stairs played their creaky song as he made his way down. Flute notes caused him to look back up. Hartley was leaning over the edge of the railing.

"DICKIE, WAIT!" He leaped off the railing.

"No!" Dick called, but Hartley landed in one piece.

"The rats, they wanted me to give you a message!"

The orchestra rats?" Hartley's expression was grave as he nodded. He leaned close to Dick's ear and whispered,

"They are saying, 'don't go behind the clock'." His tone was as serious as his face. "Does this make sense to you?"

Dick was confused. "The clock in the library room? The passage is all closed up…"

Hartley stood and shrugged. "Sorry, it's probably nothing. The rats, sometimes they're a little," He pointed at his head and twirled his finger. "Mixed up, y'know? Probably just practicing too hard." He started climbing the steps. "Maybe I should increase their breaks…" he muttered.

All Dick could do was stare.

* * *

A few feet past the makeshift staircase were the steps leading down to the basement flat. The door was ornamented with a clown doorknocker. Its leering eyes pinned on Dick as he knocked. He glanced down at the doormat which read, 'No laughing in the house'. Scratching picked up on the other side of the door. Dick stood on his tiptoes and tried to look through the window. Suddenly a set of fangs and yellow eyes were behind the glass. Snarling and barking sent Dick back a few steps. The creature whimpers as a thin, bony hand yanks it down. The door creaked open and two hyenas jumped out and started laughing.

"BUD, LOU!" A high pitched voice shrieked, "SHUT UP!" The hyenas ran to their owner's side. A wide smile formed on the woman's face. Her wide blue eyes were unblinking. "Hiya Dickie! We were just about to play some cards, care to come in?" She said sweetly.

"Still Dick, not _Dickie_ Miss Quinn." Dick muttered, his heart still pounding.

Miss Quinn, a tall, skeleton-like, graying blonde, didn't seem to hear him, shouted over her shoulder, "IVY! Put the kettle on!" She led Dick into the living room, her roommate, Pamela 'Ivy' Isley, was in the small connecting kitchen. Miss Isley was a touch shorter than her roommate with red hair and a… noticeable bosom. She was dressed in a green leotard with a sequined dressing gown.

"Why Harley dear, something followed you in."

"It's the new neighbor Ivy, Dickie! He'll be having some Oolong tea." Harley chirped.

"No, no, I think he'd prefer Jasmine!" Ivy protested.

"Oolong!"

"Jasmine it is then!" Ivy grabbed a handful of leaves and dropped them into a kettle of boiling water.

"C'mon fellas!" Harley called to Bud and Lou. The hyenas jumped off of the couch. Dick sat down in their place. He glanced around, a shelf on his side caught his eye. It was loaded with pots of plants with teeth.

"Are those plants real?" Dick asked with wide eyes.

Harley sighed. "Those are Ivy's babies! She loves 'em to pieces. There's Paul, Michael, Susanne, Camille…"

Ivy walked in pushing a tea tray. She handed Dick a cup and lifted a jade green bowl of candy onto the table. "Please try one. It's hand pulled taffy from Kaznia! Best in the world." Dick reached for blue one, but it was stuck.

"… Gerald, Lucille, Ethel, Paul Sr., Susanne the second…" Harley continued. Dick yanked his hand out and the bowl flew into the air, sticking to the ceiling. "And that's Camille's third cousin twice removed!" Harley glanced at Dick's cup. "I'll read them if you like."

"Read what?"

"Your tea leaves! They predict your future, drink up!" Dick recalled a fortune teller at the circus who did the same. He gulped down the bitter tea and handed his cup to Miss Quinn.

"Good, you left a little. Let's see…" The blonde stared intently for a few moments before gasping, "Oh Dickie! Dickie, Dickie you're in terrible danger!" Miss Isley snorted.

"Give me the cup Harleen, your eyesight is going!"

"My eyes? You're blind as a bat!" Ivy snatched the cup away and looked in.

"No worries dear, it's good news: a tall beautiful beast is in your future!"

"A what?" Dick was confused.

"Ivy, you're holding the cup wrong!" Harley protested, she rotated the cup. "See? Danger!"

Dick craned his neck, trying to see. "What do you see?"

If possible, Harley's eyes widened further, in an ominous tone she said, "I see a thin, peculiar hand!"

Ivy twisted the cup. "Well, I see a giraffe!"

"Giraffes don't just fall from the sky Ivy!"

At that moment the candy dish fell from the ceiling with a _crash_! It caused both women to jump.

"Chutes and ladders!" Exclaimed Harley.

"Oh my!" Exclaimed Ivy.

Dick asked, "What should I do?"

"Never pair purple stripes with green polka-dots." Harley said in grave seriousness.

"And acquire a very tall stepladder," Ivy added.

"And be very, very careful! Now, was there something you wanted to tell us?" Harley began to scratch behind Lou's ear.

Dick thought for a moment, but went with his better judgment and shook his head. "No, I guess not. But thank you for the tea." He stood and the hyenas immediately resumed their spots on the sofa.

"Goodbye." Said Ivy.

"See ya later!" Waved Harley. The ladies returned to their card game with Harley asking, "Now babies, have any jokers for mummy?"

"Danger?" Dick muttered to himself as he climbed the steps. As he walked through the mist, towards the front of the house, he felt like he was being watched. He saw a periscope in his peripheral vision, but he kept looking straight ahead and walking. The periscope followed and then he whirled around, pulled it up, and punched a very surprised Wally in the nose.

"Owww!" the redhead yelped, rubbing his nose.

"Wonderful." Dick deadpanned. "The village stalker!"

"I wasn't stalking you!" Wally protested. "We're hunting banana slugs!" He reached underneath his coat and pulled out a pair of salad tongs. He smiled and clicked them.

"We?"

A meow sounded from underneath Wally's coat. He unbuttoned it and the black cat crawled out and onto his shoulders.

Dick scoffed, "Your cat's not wild! He's a wuss-puss!"

Wally rubbed the feline's ear. "He hates to get his feet wet! So what?" The cat sent a glare at Dick.

Undeterred Dick cooed in a mocking tone, "Wuss-puss." The cat, who presumably had enough, jumped off of Wally's shoulders onto the porch where it climbed onto the roof.

"So," Dick began, "How'd you make that doll look like me?"

Wally, who was crawling on the ground looking for slugs, looked up. "Oh, I found it that way. It was in a trunk in my uncle's attic. It's older than him, probably older than the house." He resumed his hunt.

Dick was skeptical. "C'mon, it has the same hair and eye color as me! The gymnast's outfit is my family's design!"

Wally excitedly jumped to his feet and presented a giant yellow slug caught in the salad tongs. "Dude! It's Slugzilla!"

Dick groaned. "You're just like them."

Wally looked at the slug, then to himself. "Huh?"

"I meant Bruce and Alfred; they don't listen to me either."

Wally nodded vacantly, clearly not paying attention. "Uh huh. Do you mind?" He held out a camera. Dick took the camera and looked through the lens.

"Ready?" _If you can't beat them, join them._ He proceeded to photograph Wally's various poses with the slug including: him being horrified; pretending to eat it, wearing it as a mustache; and making it look like mucus from his nose. "Ew!" Dick tossed the camera back to the other boy.

Wally flung the slug back into the mist and put the tongs back on his belt. The camera went back around his neck, he looked up at the manor and sighed. "Y'know, I've never been in the manor before."

"Seriously?" Dick asked skeptically.

"Uncle Barry would kill me! He thinks it's dangerous or something."

"Dangerous?" _I guess the stairs could cave in at any moment or the asbestos could kill you._

"His best friend and he used to hang around here a lot."

"So?"

"One day he just disappeared. Uncle Barry says he was stolen."

Dick whispered, "Stolen?" He glanced up at the cat lounging on the roof, in his bedroom window he could see the doll, staring. "What do you think?"

Wally looked nervous, he kicked at the mud. "I-I dunno." He whistled and the cat jumped from the roof, onto his shoulders. "Maybe he just ran away."

"WALLACE!" An agitated voice carried over the wind.

Wally turned and posed to run, "Look, I gotta go!" He began running away.

"Wait a minute!" Dick yelled. He tried to run after the other, but he couldn't keep up. The redhead and the cat disappeared into the thickening mist.

* * *

That night when Dick got up to his room, the doll was on the nightstand. He put a small piece of cheese by the door. _Mouse bait._ Then he went and climbed into the giant bed. His eyes watched the door until they became heavy and he drifted into sleep.

* * *

 **AN: I'm on a roll! I did replace the author's note with a chapter, make sure you've read it, it'll help this one make sense!**


	4. AnOTHER Visit

Dick's eyes slipped open. The room was blurry, a mixture of bright colors. A _chittering_ sound came from near the door. He blinked, causing the blurs to come into focus. He sat up and saw a rat skittering away with the chunk of cheese. He tossed the comforter off and chased the rat into the hall. The rodent scurried down the stairs and into the clock room, with Dick hurrying after.

The boy leaned to look behind the clock, there was no steel blocking the passage. Dick didn't hesitate to duck into the entry. He emerged into the Other World where he made his way into the kitchen. Other Bruce stood over the stove, humming a song. He paused as the young boy padded softly into the warm space. He turned and grinned, his hair shining in the warm light of the kitchen. This Bruce looked younger, more relaxed.

"Hey chum! Welcome back!"

"Hi," Dick replied.

Bruce lifted a chunk of cheese. "It was nice of you to send this nice cheddar."

"Oh… the rat bait." Dick paused a moment, watching the man grate the piece of cheese, "I-I didn't know you cooked."

Bruce stopped grating the cheese, "Oh, I don't do it very often. I usually only do it if Alfred's busy." He resumed the grating. "Speaking of Alfred, would you please go and get him?" Bruce chuckled. "He's probably hungry as a pumpkin by now!"

Dick furrowed his brow, "Don't you mean 'Other' Alfred?"

Bruce barely shook his head. "I mean 'Better' Alfred chum. He's probably out in the garden."

"With all his cleaning I don't Alfred has time for gardening."

Bruce stuffed a strawberry in the boy's mouth. "Go on… he's just outside!"

Dick shrugged and headed out the back door. As he walked down the porch steps all he could see ahead was overgrown bushes and dead grass and plants. He pushed open the garden gate and as he stepped onto the stone path, the garden began to come to life.

The crescent moon seemed to shine brighter as the hedges grew back into orderly shapes. Flowers rose out of the dirt, their centers glowing bright. The grass grew back to reveal a stone pathway leading further into the garden.

Shiny, soft black bats squeaked and clicked as they flew through the garden and by Dick's head. The glowing flowers continued blossoming out of the flower beds, illuminating the area in blues, violets, reds, and so many more colors. Bejeweled frogs leapt out of the flower beds and hopped across the path. Dick walked past a wall covered in growing Bleeding Heart flowers, their glows matching up with their gentle thrumming beat. He followed the bats to the center, where he could see Other Alfred riding a tractor that looked like a praying mantis. He was dressed in tall rubber boots, a green apron, and gardening gloves. The seeds he was planting grew into full plants when they hit the ground.

Alfred waved, "Hello young sir!"

"Hi!" Dick called back. "I like your garden, it looks amazing!"

" _Our_ garden Richard!" The butler called back.

A group of hooligan, freshly grown snapdragons creeped up on the boy and began to tickle him with their soft petal fangs. Dick dropped to the ground, rolling to try to avoid being tickled.

"No, wait," he kept laughing, "Stop, please, hahaha, I-" he wasn't able to continue.

Alfred gave a chuckle. "My, my, hold on Richard!" He started the mantis tractor forward, over a little bridge and done towards the laughing boy. His glove hand grabbed a gourd that looked like a trumpet; when he blew it, a deep, brass sound echoed across the garden. Jack o'lanterns rose from the fountain and began to spray water.

Alfred halted the tractor and jumped off, walking over to Dick. "Alright, stop now you dragon snappers!" He waved a finger. Quickly, he cut and swept them into a bouquet, which he handed to Dick.

Dick gave a nod of thanks. "Bruce says it's time for dinner… breakfast… food?"

But Alfred had climbed back onto the tractor. His gloved hand patted the seat beside him. "First, I want to show you something." Dick ran over and pulled himself onto the mantis. Alfred shifted a lever; the mantis sputtered and metal wings unfolded. The wings began to flap, causing them to rise into the cool night air.

Dick's mouth dropped as he gazed down at the garden below. The flowers and pathways formed a portrait of his face. Two fountains with their lights formed his blue eyes. "This, this is amazing! I can't believe you did this!"

Alfred smiled. "Bruce said you'd like it! He knows you like the back of his hand." He pushed the lever and the mantis began to descend back into the garden.

* * *

At the kitchen table in the Other Manor, Dick's plate was filled with waffles, eggs, and bacon. He drowned the entire pile in syrup, then began stuffing his face. Alfred didn't try to remind him of his manners, he simply smiled. Other Bruce tore a strip of bacon into pieces and fed them to the bouquet of snapdragons on the table.

"Mmm, this is really good!" Dick said with a mouthful of food.

"I love dinner, breakfast food!" Alfred said as he dug into a stack of eggs.

"Oh Dick," Bruce started, "Mr. Rathaway has invited you to come and see his Rat Orchestra perform after dinner."

"Really?" Dick paused in his eating. "That know-it-all Wally said it was all in Mr. Rathaway's head, I knew he was wrong!"

"Well, everything's right in this world." Alfred remarked.

Dick began to shovel food into his mouth, trying to clear his plate. After he finished Bruce smiled.

"Alfred and I can clean up here while you and your friend head upstairs."

Dick tilted his head. "My friend?"

 _Knock knock_ , sounded from the front door. Other Bruce stood up and with a smile went to open the door. Standing on the porch was Wally. Except this Wally's clothes were cleaner and he stood straighter. He too had buttons in place of eyes.

"Great," Dick groaned, "Another Wally. Hello."

Wally gave a small wave.

Dick tried again. "Hello?"

Wally just stood there, smiling.

"I thought you'd like him more if he was a bit quieter." Bruce explained. "So I fixed him!"

"So… he can't talk, at all?"

"Nope!"

Dick looked over the silent, smiling redhead. "I like it!"

Bruce's smile grew. "Alright you two, run along and have fun."

Dick ran out the door and down the porch, dragging silent Wally behind him.

* * *

The outside of the Other Manor was pristine. The roof had all its shingles, the trim was all intact, and the windows glowed from the indoor lighting. The walk to the staircase on the side of the house was silent. Dick glanced over at Wally. "You sure are cheerful for someone who can't say anything." Wally just shrugged and kept walking. Dick's brow furrowed, "It didn't hurt did it? When he… y'know?" He gestured to his own mouth.

Wally just looked at him for a moment, still smiling, but there was no light behind it. Then the redhead gestured to the night sky. A small green toy blimp was flying in front of the stars, heading towards Hartley's balcony. The two boys ran up the stairs and watched as the blimp flew into a small opening above the door. Dick knocked and suddenly the door flipped, flinging both of them inside.

Inside there were two rows of rats dressed in red vests with little bowties. They were holding little flashpoints, illuminating a red carpet leading to a stage with a closed curtain.

"Whoa…" Dick's jaw dropped. Up higher on the walls were ornate balconies holding mice dressed in suits, gowns, with pocket watches and opera glasses. One of the usher rats came up to the boys and chirped, then started to scurry closer to the stage. The boys followed and the rat gestured to a space for them close to the stage. Just as they sat down a voice sounded over a loudspeaker.

"Ladies and gentlemen, to soothe your ears and open your hearts, I, Hartley Johnson Rathaway am introducing…" A series of spotlights began dancing over the curtain, "My incredible, stupendous, astounding Rat Orchestra!"

The curtain parted to reveal over fifty rats in tuxedos and black dresses, each holding a little instruments. Hartley stepped out on the side, dressed in a suit and green cape. He tapped a conductor's baton on a music stand, then began to swing it in a rhythm. A peppy, high tune began to fill the apartment. The instrument playing rats bounced in the rhythm. Dick couldn't help but laugh. As he listened closer, the tune sounded familiar. Dick gasped, _it's the main theme from the circus!_

He could practically see Mr. Haley, the ringmaster, marching around the center, yelling out things to excite the crowd. The ponies with the vaulters would run in next, then the clowns and elephants. His eyes began to tear up slightly at the memories.

The rats began to play faster, the circus tune shifting into a dramatic classical piece. Dick's eyes widened as the littler bows moved faster and the drummer rats little paws flew. The music got louder and faster before coming to a booming finale.

The balcony mice rose to their feet and began clapping; Dick and Wally joined in. Hartley turned to the audience and bowed. "Thank you, thank you!"

"That was fantastic Mr. Rathaway!" Dick said. Hartley made his way over to the boys. "It was so, so…"

"Aaah," Hartley prompted.

"Amazing!"

"You are welcome anytime, you and your friend here." Hartley beamed.

Dick looked over at Wally, whose grin held joy behind it now.

"Addio Richard." The man shook the boy's hand.

Back at the house, Dick waved goodbye to Wally before heading to his room upstairs. It once again was full of color and life. He crawled under the blankets, then Bruce came in and patted his head.

"Night chum, sleep well."

Dick's eyes slowly closed. The image of a smiling Other Bruce and Alfred was the last thing he remembered.


	5. A Chance to Walk Away

**AN: I'm not dead, I'm just mostly dead. I had to fly across the country for a funeral and college has started. My chemistry teacher loves assigning homework, so updates will be slower than I hope. This story is almost done and it will be finished gosh-darn-it!**

Dick slowly opened his eyes and blinked the room into focus. His doll-self was lying beside him, staring with its button eyes and smiling with its stitched mouth. The boy sat up, once again in the dark cave of a room. The cheese he left in the doorway was gone. Dick threw off the covers and ran into the clock room. When he pulled on the clock, it didn't budge. The tool to change the time was gone, leaving it locked in place. "What the heck?"

After breakfast Alfred announced that he and Dick were going to drop Bruce off at work in the city, then the two of them would go clothes shopping. Dick quickly got dressed and soon the three of them were ready to go. Alfred drove while Dick and Bruce sat in the backseat. Bruce tapped at his phone while Dick stared out the window. The landscape heading into town was just as dreary as the manor. Grey clouds filled the sky, (Dick was beginning to believe the sun never shined in Gotham) mist swirled in the air, and a feeling of melancholy hung ever present.

In the city wasn't much better. The tall buildings were dark and imposing, the streets littered with trash and tight-faced people. Any bit of light seemed to be snuffed out. Soon, Alfred stopped the limo in front of one of the tall buildings with a sign reading, 'Wayne Enterprises'. Bruce stuffed his phone in his pocket, grabbed his briefcase, and ruffled Dick's hair.

"See you later." He got out, but stuck his head back in the car. "You sure you can handle him Alfred?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"I'll manage the ruffian just fine Master Bruce." Alfred replied blankly. Bruce closed the door and disappeared into the building.

"Well, onto the shopping." Said Alfred.

He pulled back onto the road, driving to the main shopping district. To fill the silence Dick began describing his latest dream. "… and there were glowing flowers and living snapdragons!" Alfred gave a 'hmm', prompting Dick to continue. "There was a real rat orchestra upstairs! Not a pretend one like the crazy guy in our house has."

"I wouldn't use the term 'crazy' to describe him young master." Alfred intoned. "I would use heavily intoxicated." He pulled into a parking space. Dick looked out at the clothing stores and sighed.

 _Hopefully this won't take forever._

* * *

 _This is taking forever!_ Almost two hours in and Dick was ready to break down the dressing room. Alfred had been having him try on endless white shirts (they all looked the same in Dick's opinion) and pair after pair of black and grey pants. Finally, he was allowed to exit the small room. Alfred handed a stack of clothes to a clerk. Dick scanned the store, there were many different, fancy types of clothing but no jeans or overalls. He had a couple pairs of jeans and a set of overalls that he brought from the circus, but they'd soon be too small. The boy didn't think Alfred would approve of him playing outside or inside for that matter in the new clothes.

The heat of the store was beginning to make his head spin. He turned to Alfred who was looking at fancy leather shoes. "Hey Alfred, could I wait for you outside the store?"

Alfred looked up towards the doors. "I don't see why not. But don't go farther than just outside the entrance."

"Okay." He strolled outside, ignoring the stuffy store clerks. The store was located in a high end shopping district. Everyone walking by on the sidewalks were dressed in well-fitted suits, big hats, and bright ties. He doubted that any of these people had worn anything that cost under a couple hundred dollars. It was approaching midday and it was still cloudy and dark. Dick was ready to go back to the manor. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do there, but it would be better than getting stuffed in another dressing room.

"Thank you for being patient." Alfred was at his side with an armload of shopping bags. "The service isn't what it used to be when I bought young Master Bruce's clothes here." The British man looked at his watch. "We have a little time before lunch, let's drop these bags off at the car."

Dick took a couple of the bags and they started back to the limo. Dick piped up, "Um, Alfred,"

"Yes young sir?"

"Could we maybe look for some jeans?"

"Denim jeans? I don't believe any stores in this area sell those… Whatever do you need those for?"

"Uh, y'know, playing? Getting dirty?"

Alfred chuckled and lightly shook his head. "We need to get you fitted for a school uniform. We can find play clothes another day. School and its uniforms are top priority right now."

Dick nodded and walked quietly. _My OTHER 'family' would get them for me._

* * *

When they finally got to the car, the ride home went rather quickly. To make conversation Dick asked, "What is behind the clock in the big room?"

Alfred kept his gaze straight ahead. "I don't rightly remember. Storage most likely. Hopefully not a singing Master Bruce and button-eyed butler!" He added chuckling.

"The clock door was locked this morning."

"I found rat prints leading of the passage. They're dirty little creatures no matter what Mr. Rathaway protests. I don't want his pets spreading disease throughout our section of the house."

"They're orchestra rats Alfred! And I doubt they're dangerous! Them and the dreams are the most fun I've had since we got here!"

"School will be fun."

"How can school be fun when they make you wear those monkey uniforms?"

Alfred just sighed and turned into the driveway.

They carried the shopping bags into the house and Dick dumped his on the kitchen table. Alfred set his on the counter, then began to scan the cupboards and refrigerator. "It appears I need to go food shopping." The butler stood and closed the white door. "Would you like to come along? You could pick out a treat."

Dick flopped down onto a kitchen chair. "No thanks. I think I'll just stay here."

Alfred patted his head and walked to the door. "Alright then, stay out of trouble. I won't be long." With a gentle _click_ of the door, he was gone. Dick sat still until he heard the car start and drive off.

He dove off the chair and ran back into the clock room. The dial for the hands wasn't on the clock, Dick began scanning the room. It wasn't sitting on any of the tables or bookcases. He walked over to the fireplace mantle and jumped, it was resting at the back. The boy pulled over a chair, then he was able to reach the dial. With a quick _click_ and a twist, the clock swung open, revealing the colorful tunnel.

"I knew it was real!" Dick exclaimed. He entered the tunnel and eagerly darted forwards.

He emerged in the other manor and ran into the kitchen. It once again was filled with warm, cozy lighting and wonderful smells. The small kitchen table was piled with plates of food, macaroni and cheese, potato soup, grilled cheese, popcorn, and multiple soda flavors. There was also a rectangular black box with a sticky note attached. Dick plucked the note off the box, ' _Dick, Miss Quinn and Miss Isley want you to come downstairs after you eat lunch. Hope you enjoy the new clothes I found for you!' –Bruce._

Dick pulled off the lid; inside the box was a bright red and green hoodie, a pair of jeans, and a pair of new red sneakers. _Finally, real clothes!_ He set them back in the box so he could dig into the food.

* * *

He stepped out onto the porch, wearing his new clothes. _It's always night here…_ he noticed. It was a different type of night oddly enough. The dark was welcoming and playful instead of being suffocating and cold. A _merrow_ made him look up. A black cat was sitting on the roof above the porch.

"You look like Wally's cat. Not quiet Wally; the one that talks a lot! You must be Other Cat."

The cat leapt down onto the porch railing. He seemed to shake his head. "Actually, I am no one but myself," he purred. His blue eyes twinkled in the moonlight.

Dick was surprised, "Okay… you don't have the button eyes, but if you are the same cat, how can you talk?"

The cat gave a shrug and stretched, extending his claws. "Oh I don't know," he drawled, "I just can." He jumped off the railing, onto a nearby rock.

"Cats don't talk at home." Dick stated.

"Oh no?" The cat asked.

"Nope."

The cat jumped from the rock onto a small, leave-less tree. "Well," he started dryly, "You could know, I am after just a 'big fat wuss puss'." He gave the boy a sharp look.

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." Dick said apologetically. He took a breath before trying to be polite, "What's your name? I'm Dick."

"Cats don't have names."

"No?"

"No," said the cat. "Now you people have names. That's because you don't know who you are. We know who we are, so we don't need names."

"Well, how'd you get here?"

"I've been coming here for a while." The cat twisted around the tree disappearing. Dick peered around the trunk, but the cat was gone. "It's a game between me and him." The cat, now in the branches above, nodded its head towards the house. "He hates cats and tries to keep me out. But he can't of course." He purred proudly. "So, I come and go as I please."

Dick was confused, "Other Bruce hates cats?" He asked skeptically.

"More than any other 'Bruce' I've known." The cat stated with contempt.

"But, this Bruce is amazing!" Dick protested. The cat once again began twisting around the branches, disappearing. Dick looked around and saw it sitting on the roof once again.

"You believe this place is everything you could have ever wished for, but you're wrong! The Other Wally told me so."

"That isn't possible. He can't talk." Dick replied pointedly.

The cat gave him a pitying look. "Maybe not to you, but we cats," he held his head high, "we cats have not only superior intelligence but far superior senses as well. Our senses of sight and smell are-" The cat dropped into a crouch, his ears twitching.

Dick cautiously glanced side to side, blue eyes scanning the moon-lit yard. "What is it?"

"Sshhh," the cat hissed. "I hear something. Right over…" After a quick wiggle, he pounced around the corner, disappearing into the dark.

Dick waited a moment before shrugging and walking to Miss Harley and Ivy's door. The door looked freshly painted with a ring of theatre-type lights lining the archway. Dick felt homesick for the circus for a moment, they used similar lights to line the attractions. Soft light filtered out through the crack between the door and the frame. Dick gave a light push and the door opened easily. He met a dark red, velvet curtain. The boy pulled it to the side and gave a light gasp.

Beyond the curtain was an old-fashioned theater. The ceiling was high, higher than anything in the manor; the height was impossible for the basement flat. Rows of chairs filled the theater, red carpets lined the aisles between the rows. A large stage with a closed curtain was at the far end. Balcony seats were built into the walls. A beam of light flashed in his eyes, Dick looked down to see a slithering plant carrying a flashlight. One of the vine arms nudged the boy's ankle before the plant slithered down the center aisle. Dick followed the plant, passing row after row of seats full of wriggling carnivorous plants. In the front row there was an empty seat next to Other Wally. Dick tapped his shoulder and Wally turned and gave a warm smile.

"Hey Wally," Dick whispered as he sat down. A spotlight swung onto the stage's curtain and the crowd of vegetation fell silent. The curtain parted to reveal a set of a 50's nightclub. Miss Harley rose up in a revealing shimmery, red outfit. It was skintight and was barely made up of anything. Dick's jaw dropped. He nudged Wally, "She's practically naked!" He whispered in shock. This was an image he wasn't getting out of his anytime soon.

Miss Harley attempted to strike a seductive pose, then she began to sing, "I never knew our romance had ended, until you poisoned my food,"

A flat cut out crowd of men in tuxedos slid onto the stage behind her.

"And I thought it was a lark, when you kicked me in the park, but now I think it was rude!" The blonde lowered her head and the plants gave a hiss.

The wooden scenery changed to a flower garden filled with fake roses. A giant rosebud emerged from the middle of the stage. It unfolded to reveal Miss Ivy. She was wearing absolutely nothing except for ivy leaves covering certain areas.

Dick was definitely scarred for life now. "Good gosh," he muttered. Miss Ivy began to sing too.

"I never knew our romance had finished, until that bottle hit my head. Though I tried to be aloof when you pushed me off the roof, when you pushed me off the roof, I feel our romance is dead." She struck a pose, her bosom highly visible.

The plant audience and the boys clapped. Harley looked displeased, she began to sing louder, "It wouldn't have been so bad if you'd told me, told me that someone had taken my place," the scenery switched back to the club setting. "But no, you didn't even scold me, you just tried to disfigure my face!"

Ivy had the scenery switched back to her roses, she too increased her volume. She and Harley's scenery switched back and forth as the two women kept singing louder and louder, trying to outdo one another.

"You'll never know how this heart of mine is breaking!" Harley sang, trying to push Ivy back.

"It looked so hopeless but then life used to be so placid," Ivy screeched.

"Won't you please put down that acid?" The rigging holding the scenery began to sway.

"And say that we're sweethearts again!" The women sang in unison, then the set collapsed, burying the aged performers.

The plants rustled with what could pass as laughter. Dick giggled despite his concern for his neighbors. The curtains closed, shielding the disaster.

A Venus fly trap crawled onto the stage, pulling a large bucket labeled "Pool". The spotlights shined back on, illuminating two tall ladders leading up to diving platforms. The women each posed on a platform.

Dick covered his eyes with his fingers. "I can't watch!" At the circus there was a high diver named Merina the Magnificent. But she was barely twenty not in her late seventies. And the small looking bucket actually had a deeper bottom than the audience could see.

"Ready to break a leg Ivy?" Harley asked in her high voice.

"Our lives for the theater Harley!" Ivy replied. Both ladies began to jump. As they jumped, their wrinkled, liver-spotted bodies unzipped and shed. Underneath, their bodies were thin, smooth, and beautiful. They each leapt to catch a swinging trapeze bar.

Dick laughed in delight and relief. Wally just beamed. Harley and Ivy, now dressed in red and green bathing suits respectively, swung out over the stage.

"What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason!" Said Ivy.

She and Harley flipped through the air and switched trapezes. Dick gripped the arms of his chair tightly. Other Wally noticed and put his hand over Dick's, giving it a reassuring squeeze. A glint of light bounced off of a large ruby ring on the red-headed woman's finger, the red light mixed with the spotlights, casting a tent of shimmers across the ceiling.

"How infinite in faculty!" Intoned Harley, "In form and moving how express and admirable!"

Suddenly, they swung in a different direction, over the audience. Harley bent backwards over the bar and reached out, grabbing Dick's arms.

"Hey!" he shouted, terrified. He clung tightly to Harley as they swung higher into the shimmery red lights. Dick's eyes clenched tightly. Flashbacks of the circus shot into his brain. Ropes snapping, screaming, the crowd gasping. Harley's grip began to loosen slightly, Dick's eyes shot open, his hands gripped tighter.

"Alley oop!" Dick was freefalling through the air. He let out a yell before being scooped up by Ivy.

"In action like an angel!" She tossed him again.

"In apprehension like a god!"

"Ah!" Screamed Dick. There was another feeling slowly etching its way into his head. A familiar feeling. One he hadn't felt in forever. The tossing, falling, _soaring_ , it was familiar, it was _fun_!

"The beauty of the world!" called Ivy.

"The paragon of animals!" Harley chirped.

Dick swung upside down near one of the balconies, where he received a lick from one of Harley's hyenas. Then he was thrown again, higher. Harley and Ivy let go and dived into the bucket. Dick began to fall, but the women rose up again just in time to catch the boy. They struck a pose and the theater erupted in applause. Other Wally too clapped enthusiastically. Dick climbed off the stage, a familiar adrenaline pounding in his veins. Wally clapped him on the back and as they walked down the aisle to exit; he couldn't stop beaming.

* * *

When the boys made it outside and started walking up the stairs, Other Bruce and Alfred were waiting for them at the top.

"Hello there!" Said Alfred with a wave of a white glove.

"How was it fellows?" Bruce asked with a glint in his button eyes.

"I got to fly again! Harley and Ivy pulled me out of my seat and we swung on a trapeze! I was terrified at first, but then it was so familiar and fun! They weren't all old and wrinkly anymore though, those were like disguises or something; they were actually young and it was amazing!" Dick stopped to take a breath.

The boy's excitement caused Other Bruce's smile to widen. "You like it here, don't you chum?"

"Totally!" Dick exclaimed. He turned back to the silent Wally, "Night Wally."

Other Alfred put an arm around Dick and began to lead him back to the house. Dick failed to notice Bruce's sharp glare at silent Wally, who cowered at the bottom of the stairs. Bruce traced a smile from the corners of his mouth. Wally just lowered his head.

Bruce joined Alfred and Dick as they walked down the hallway. "Y'know, you could stay here forever… if you wanted to."

Dick looked at Bruce, "Really?"

Alfred smiled and nodded enthusiastically, "Definitely! We will play your favorite games, sing songs, I'll make all your favorite foods! It will be wonderful!"

Bruce reached and ruffled Dick's hair. "There's just one little thing we'd need to do first."

"What's that?"

"It's a surprise."

The trio went into the dining room, where Dick was nudged towards his seat. He sat down then Bruce nodded, signaling Alfred to set a small box on the table in front of the boy. Dick eagerly yanked the lid off…

"For you, our little Robin." Bruce smiled. In the box were two round black button and a silver needle with a spool of thread.

Dick gasped and jumped out of his chair. He scanned the butler and man's faces, trying to spot if this was a joke. His gut didn't think it was.

"Black is traditional," Other Bruce filled the silence, "But we can do any other color like green, red, blue-"

"NO WAY!" Dick's hands flew up to cover his eyes. "YOU ARE NOT SEWING BUTTONS OVER MY EYES!"

Other Bruce frowned, "But chum, in order to stay here we need to."

Other Alfred tapped the point of the needle, "Besides, it's so sharp you won't feel a- OW!" He dropped the needle back into the box, shaking his hand.

Bruce glared at the butler briefly before turning back to Dick. He smiled and relaxed his shoulders. "It's alright, it's your decision. We only want what's best for you." The man reached over and put a hand on Dick's arm.

Dick hastily pulled away, noting for the first time how cold the hand felt. "I-I think I'm going to go to bed. Right now."

Other Bruce's brow furrowed, "Now?"

"Before dinner?" questioned Alfred.

Dick swallowed before replying, "Uh yeah, I'm really, really tired." He gave a fake yawn. "I think I uh, just need to sleep on things."

Other Bruce looked skeptical. He stood up, he didn't look pleased. "Of course chum. I'll come tuck you in."

"No, no," Dick backed towards the doorway, palms out, "That's alright, you've already done enough!" He turned and almost ran into Other Bruce, who was blocking the doorway.

"You're most welcome," he turned to Other Alfred who had joined them at the doorway, "we aren't worried at all." He paused, then continued softly, "Soon you'll see things our way."

They made their way to the stairs. Dick climbed the stairs and stopped when he reached the landing. He turned and waved to Other Bruce and Alfred standing at the bottom, then continued walking. When he was out of their sight, he darted up the rest of the stairs. He runs into his room and slammed the door.

The pictures on the wall immediately began to talk asking, "What's wrong Dick? Are you alright? Aren't you having fun?" The animal shadows cast from the lamp began to creep closer, Dick swatted them away in panic and clicked the lamp off, leaving the room illuminated by the full moon. As the pictures continued talking, Dick ran up and ripped them off the walls, shoving them into a toy box. He ran and jumped onto the bed. His gaze shifted to the photo of his parents. Their smiles faded, his father leaned closer.

"Where's your buttons _păsărică_?" he asked, clearly concerned.

His mother looked hurt, "Don't you want to stay?"

With a heavy heart, he threw the picture into the toy box too. After watching the door for a moment, he barricaded it with a dresser. Shaking, he climbed into the bed. He pulled the covers over his head and curled into a ball, still shaking. "I'm going _home_ tonight creeps, and I won't be back!" He tried to take deep breaths to calm the shaking. _Calm down, stop shaking, just go to sleep, go to sleep, sleep!_

His eyes clenched tighter. Whispering, raspy voices drifted around the room, trying to penetrate his blanket shell. The whispers soon warped into the voices of Other Bruce and Alfred,

" _There's just one little thing…"_

"Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep,"

" _So sharp, you won't feel a thing…"_

"Go to sleep, go to sleep,"

" _Soon you'll see things our ways…"_

"Go to SLEEP!"

Dick tossed and turned before he finally managed to fall into sleep.


End file.
